Water is Thicker Than Blood
by JupiterComesThunderingIn09
Summary: Just a one-shot post "Buried Secrets". April is coming to terms with what happened to her Mother. It makes her realize that family doesn't always have to be of blood relation. Some April/Mikey fluff, no pairing!


Just a quick drabble about Mikey and April. Takes place post "Buried Secrets". I don't own the TMNT.

April was sitting in the old swing out in front of the farm house, taking in the events that happened earlier that day. It was a chilly fall night in North Hampton; the leaves rustled in the distance as a small cool breeze made its way through the trees. The crickets chirped, providing a sweet sounding symphony that accompanied April's thoughts.

The young girl had her legs resting on the seat of the swing with a purple blanket draped over them as she just sat in silence. Her breath caught the cool air, creating a small cloud of mist as she exhaled. The only thought that kept creeping up in her mind was her Mom.

She was very disappointed. Not because her Mom turned out to be a Kraang who was hell bent on taking her back to their leader; no, she was disappointed in herself, because she had become selfish. Selfish to the fact that she only wanted her mother and nothing in more in life. And to make matters worse, she was upset because she refused to believe her friends when they told her that her mother was a monster from dimension x, planning on using her for world domination. If it wasn't for her friends, she would be at the mercy of Kraang Prime and god knows what else.

Tears flooded her blue eyes as she relived the events from the day. Her mother, the kraang, claiming falsely that she missed her daughter and that they could be a family again, flooded her memory. _Family_. She had heard that term used so many times that day. Despite her outburst at Mikey, her claims that he was insane for attacking her mother, the young turtle still managed to smile warmly at her, claiming that they were her family.

So lost in her thoughts, the young girl didn't feel the swing shift to support the new weight that was placed upon it. "Hey April," a voice said in a soft, nervous tone. Pulling herself from her thoughts, she looked over to see Michelangelo seated next to her. The expression that he wore on his face showed worry and concern for his friend.

"Hey" she said, acknowledging the orange banded ninja before slowly drifting away again in her self-pity. She stared up at the stars only to see one shooting past the young teens. There she silently wished; wished for an answer to this madness that has plagued her life and her friends lives. She never wanted anyone to get hurt and never had she dreamt that her family would be taken away from her, let alone, four times now.

"Penny for your thoughts," she heard him whisper. His breath captured the cool night air as he spoke and shivered. The turtle watched as she turned her gaze towards him again, tears swimming in her eyes for the second time. The young terrapin knew that April was upset but wasn't expecting a tear filled expression from her. He grabbed her hand and held it in between his three large fingers.

April and Mikey were never close. She was always hanging with Donnie, working on a new invention or solving math problems for school. She and Raphael had formed a bond when they arrived here in North Hampton. The two were always training and sparring out in the front of the house, releasing their frustrations out in their ninja moves. And Leo, her and the blue clad ninja became close ever since he was injured. The turtle was growing closer and closer to the red head as she helped him heal both physically and mentally, confiding in her more often than his own brothers about his greatest fears and troubles. But Mikey, April found that Mikey never really let down that goof ball exterior despite the situation that plagued all of them. She felt that she couldn't relate to the ninja simply because he never showed his true emotions. He never let her in despite his open personality. She knew he was hurting on the inside, but he masked it so well. She was guessing that was why he never clicked with her.

So when he grabbed her hand and provided her with comfort, she was naturally taken back from the gesture. A side of Mikey she never knew. Yeah, she saw how he was with Raph when they lost their sensei several months back. She knew he could provide comfort to his family when it really mattered, but he never showed this compassion, this empathy towards her.

"Just thinking," she said as her gaze never left his. Tears started to make their way down her cheeks and the turtle did what he would do if it were one of his brothers; he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, resting her head against his plastron. He could feel her sobbing silently in his chest as her shoulders moved in rhythm with her emotions.

"You know, thinking can get you in to trouble, that's why I don't do it much," he joked, trying to comfort his young friend. April couldn't smile through the tears though, only a small whimper escaped her lips as Michelangelo felt her shake her head in agreement. He then rested his right hand on top of her head, pulling her closer to him, his left hand still gripping hers as he just let her cry.

After a few moments had passed, the young girl still kept her head rested against the turtle's chest. Soft sniffles were the only reminder of her recent crying outburst. Once she knew she was in control of her emotions, she spoke, her voice soft and calm. "Why are you doing this, Mikey?"

The turtle didn't know why she was asking him this; why she would question this act of kindness and care towards her. "Because, you're family, April. You're like my sister and I'm here for you. You don't have to face this alone".

There was the word again. _Family_. April knew they all cared for her and she felt the same. But her family, her blood family, tried to hurt her, tried to turn her against her adopted family. All because she put her guard down and failed to see it. Everyone failed to see it except Mikey. Mikey tried to protect her, shield her from the kraang and what did she do? She pushed him away, doubting his sanity in the process. He was right all along and had every right to be mad at her for doubting him. But here he was, comforting her and calling her his sister, her accusation towards him completely forgotten.

"I doubted you. I was a jerk, pushed you away when you were only trying to protect me" was her reply.

"April," he said pulling her away from him. The mutant gently sat her up, making her look directly into his eyes. "I understand you," he stated.

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"You were vulnerable because you watched your Dad get taken away from you. The small hope of having your family again still sat in the back of your mind. When you saw your mother it was then that you let that small hope come to the surface. I get it. You wanted to pick up where you left off. You wanted someone to comfort you at a time of hurt and defeat. If that was Master Splinter in that chamber, I would have done anything to keep someone from coming between us again" Michelangelo wiped some more tears from her face with his thumb as they fell down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry" April managed between tears before hugging the turtle. "And thank you, for being there for me," she continued, "We manage to underestimate you, Mikey. You always come through for us and we never acknowledge how wonderful you really are".

"It's okay, I do it to myself. If I act serious all the time like my brothers, I'm afraid I'd be like them. And if I become like them, then there will be no one to pull us back. To remind us that life, regardless of what it throws at us, is a wonderful thing. There wouldn't be anyone to remind us to enjoy life and have fun." April heard his voice echo through his chest as she rested her head against it. _I'd pull you back Mikey. I will always be there for you like you are for us._ She thought.

They sat in silence for a while after that, taking in the sounds nature provided for them. April felt the turtle shiver beneath her and it was then she realized that they should be heading back. "Come on Mikey, its getting colder and we need to get some rest". April pulled herself away from him and stood up, offering her hand to him as he shivered from the cold once more. When he grabbed it, he never let go as they started towards the farm house.

April realized how lucky she was that night. Even though her blood family was gone she still had a family right here to support her. Family wasn't someone who was just simply related to you. No, family was made up of people, or turtles, that cared for one another and always supported you no matter what. Mikey made her realize that now. Whoever said blood was thicker than water was wrong.

As they walked in the front door, the warmth of the room overwhelmed them, kissing their cold skin. When Mikey shut the door behind them, he broke away from her and headed towards the stairs. As he started up to the second floor he turned around to look at her.

"April," he stated with a serious tone, "If you ever need me for anything, you know you can trust me. I am good at catching people when they fall. Donnie's not the only one".

"Sure thing Mikey. I promise I will. Thank you for catching me tonight, little brother", she smiled.

"Get some sleep," he said as he continued to up the stairs.

Once he was out of earshot, she quietly said to herself, "I am so lucky to have such a great family, I love all of you guys, more than you will ever know". She then quietly headed towards her room, finally turning in for the night.

Please read and review. Just an epilogue from the latest episode, sorry I have been doing that a lot lately. The writing in the new show is just so good and I want to add to it. And this was not a April/Mikey pairing. This was just some family fluff and nothing else. In my opinion, April is Donnie's girl


End file.
